Every Parent's Greatest Fear
by King in Yellow
Summary: A phone call that your child has been kidnapped. Kim and Shego both have enemies. But more than the question of who or why the nightmare that burns in a parent's mind is whether or not your child will be harmed. Best Enemies Universe.
1. Double, double toil and trouble

Boilerplate Disclaimer: The various characters from the Kim Possible series are all owned by Disney. Any and all registered trade names property of their respective owners. Cheap shots at celebrities constitute fair usage.

NoDrogs created the twins, whose origin I changed completely.

**Double, double toil and trouble **

Shego strapped Jane's car seat into the middle of the back seat and drove over to pick up the twins at Jessica's.

"Girls, get your stuff together, Shego's here to take you to Briana's!" Tara called as Shego pulled into the Mankey driveway. The green woman parked and walked to the front door, never leaving the line of vision of the two-year old. Parenting books said small children became anxious if left alone. Shego had the additional worry that Jane might wriggle out of her car seat, climb into the driver's seat and instinctively know how to hot-wire the car.

As Tara stepped out to talk with her, Shego waved to the little redhead, who enthusiastically waved back.

"So, how's the oldest established permanent floating slumber party in Middleton?"

Tara looked exhausted, "Kasy was impossible!"

"Kasy is always impossible."

"Last night she was worse."

"Sorry, Jason brings out the worst in her. She's got no business flirting at her age."

"Kasy wasn't flirting. Last night she screamed at him!"

"What? Kasy screamed at Jason?"

Tara nodded.

"Okay, that's weird," Shego admitted. "Come to think of it, she's been worse than usual at home the last day or two. Still, one piece of good news."

"What's that?"

"Neither of us have to put up with her today."

Tara and Shego exchanged high-fives as Kasy, Sheki, and Jessica, barely visible under various belongings trooped out the door and got in the car. Kasy rode in the front seat while Sheki and Jessica flanked Jane in the rear.

Jessica smiled at the little redhead and played with her as they drove. "I wish I had a little sister."

"You're only saying that 'cause you don't have one," Kasy warned her. "They're a pain."

The ex-thief gritted her teeth and kept her mouth shut. She preferred not to scold the children in front of their friends.

Perhaps Shego had grown less observant after years of not being wanted by the police, or perhaps the noise in the car distracted her, but she had missed the car whose driver had been watching them and which followed at a distance as she drove to the Crandalls.

Her years with Drakken served Shego well as she tuned out Kasy's litany of complaints on the drive. "Out, people," Shego ordered when they arrived at Briana's house. "Eemah has to get Jane to daycare and go to work."

Shego went to the door to pass on Tara's warning about Kasy to Alicia Crandall.

The Crandall's six-year-old son answered the door, "Bree! Your pests are here!" he bellowed.

There was a squeal of joy and the sound a running feet as Briana hurried downstairs and ran out to help her friends ferry things into the house. Mrs. Crandall came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dishtowel. "Tommy," she warned, "how many times have I told you not to say that?" She looked at Shego, "Sorry."

"No problem, I had siblings." Shego stepped partially aside to make room for the line of little girls bearing pillows, blankets, and overnight bags trooping into the house. The green woman lowered her voice slightly, "Tara warned me that Kasy is more impossible than usual today."

"Nothing peanut butter cookies won't cure," Alicia laughed. "I just started making a batch. When will you be back for them?"

"Between four and five… I'll give you a call if I get held up at the office."

Shego backed into the street and headed for daycare, still not noticing the car which had parked a block away and whose driver had carefully watched the girls going into the house.

Alicia greeted the girls, issued a warning to her son, and had barely returned to the kitchen when the doorbell rang. "Mom, somebody at the door," Thomas yelled.

"I'll get it. Sharon must have forgotten something." The girls must have assumed the same thing and they headed for the front hall to see what was going on. Alicia Crandall didn't even glance through the security peephole. "What did you…"

It wasn't Shego. Some would argue it is more frightening to confront a calm gunman, a man who conveys the sense he has killed before and would have no qualms about killing again. But the sweating, nervous man who confronted Mrs. Crandall was perfectly terrifying. The shaking gun barrel warned he wasn't certain what he was doing and anything could happen. He saw the girls in the hall behind Alicia, "Girls, my car," he ordered in a trembling voice.

"No," Alicia tried to tell them.

"Now!" he screamed hysterically.

Briana saw the gun pointed at her mother, and moved quietly for the door. Kasy and Sheki, confidant they possessed the martial arts skills to take him down when he wasn't threatening Mrs. Crandall followed. Jessica went along only because her friends were leaving the house.

The stranger backed towards his car, and panicked. He hadn't planned on four girls. There weren't supposed to be this many. What could he do with them? "Three of you, in the back. You," he pointed to Briana, "front seat with me."

"If any of you in the back cause problems," he warned the girls in the back, "I shoot her." He was right-handed. He needed his right hand to turn the key in the ignition and put the car in gear. He should have thought this out better. He held the gun in his left hand, pointing it at the girl in the passenger seat as he fumbled for the key and started the car.

Shego had almost reached the daycare center when her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Pull over, stop your car!" came a hysterical voice.

"Alicia?"

"Pull over, stop your car!"

The green woman followed instructions, "What happened?"

"The girls. A man, he had a gun. I-"

"Was anyone shot?"

"He took them. I-"

"Which way did he go?"

"He… He turned south at the corner."

Shego considered turning around and going in search of the kidnapper, but knew it would be futile without more information. "What have you done?"

"I called the police. I called you after I called Steve."

"I'm coming back. I-"

"Call Kim first," Alicia suggested. "I'll call Tara."

Shego sat thinking for a couple seconds. She wanted to get back to the Crandalls and see if she could find any leads. Kim needed to be called. _"If Kim got the news first,"_ Shego asked herself,_ "would I want her to call me first thing?_" Shego called Kim.

Three police cars, lights flashing, arrived at the Crandall home slightly before Shego. Jane, with no understanding of what was happening, sensed something was wrong and fussed as Shego pulled her out of the car seat and headed for the house. A young officer warned her to stop and got knocked on his ass for his efforts. A second rookie reached for his gun, then hesitated; threatening an unarmed woman with a pistol, when she had a diaper bag slung over her shoulder and carried a toddler in one arm, seemed wrong. Fortunately an older officer recognized her, "You idiot, she's a mother," he barked at the rookie, "let her in."

Alicia Crandall, in a state of shock, sat on a chair in the living room. The initial questioning had been geared towards information helpful to finding the kidnapper. In addition to her worry over her daughter Alicia felt miserable. In her terror she hadn't noticed anything she was supposed to notice except how big the barrel of the gun pointed at her appeared. Fortunately the six year old had make, model, and a partial for the police. As a reward for his presence of mind Shego handed the diaper bag to Thomas Crandall and set Jane on the floor, "Watch her."

"Kim's on her way," Shego told Alicia. "Don't know if it's legit, but Global Justice will be looking."

"Steve's coming home. I don't… Tara was too upset to drive, the police went over there to see if she knew anything."

"Doubt it. Poor Jessica, the wrong place at the wrong time. Between Steve's work as DA, Kim, and me we've got a lot of enemies." Shego suddenly felt like the most hated woman on earth. There still could be enemies wanting to harm her from her days with Team Go. She prayed to God that Hellpike remained in jail. She had enemies from working for Drakken. And even if the District Attorney had more criminals wanting to harm his family Shego still had clients who might blame her rather than their own crimes for the fact they ended up in jail. If this were one of her enemies seeking revenge she'd never forgive herself.

"I think you're right," Alicia agreed. "Maybe he'll turn her loose."

"Maybe." Both women felt slightly ashamed for hoping their daughters were not who the kidnapper wanted, and both feared that the man might not want to leave witnesses.

The stress made his head hurt. He tried to drive, keep a gun pointed at the girl beside him, and watch the three girls in the back in case they tried to signal passing cars. The amber alert siren blared from the radio, warning listeners to watch for four kidnapped girls. "Turn it off!" he screeched and Briana quickly hit the switch.

He pulled to the curb and put the car in park, then twisted his body to try and allow him to cover all four girls with his pistol. "I don't need you all," he gasped.

Kasy and Sheki tensed, it would be difficult to attack from the rear seat of the car but they had to try if he attempted to shoot anyone.

"I only need one of you. The rest of you can get out here," he told them.

Jessica couldn't believe the claim. "Really?"

"Really," he assured her. "I just… This was a… I only wanted one of you. The others can go, just get out now. Which one of you is Jessica Mankey?"


	2. Fire burn, and cauldron bubble

Boilerplate Disclaimer: The various characters from the Kim Possible series are all owned by Disney. All registered trade names property of their respective owners. Cheap shots at celebrities constitute fair usage.

**Fire burn, and cauldron bubble**

The twitching man with the gun repeated his question, "Which one of you is Jessica Mankey?"

There was a moment of silence. Briana looked at the younger blonde girl shivering with fear in the back seat. "I am," she said calmly.

Sheki knew Briana lacked training in martial arts. Her friend took ballet lessons and gymnastics. "She's not," the girl with the dark green hair announced. "I am."

"No," he told her. "I saw her baby picture on her dad's desk. She has blonde hair."

"I dyed it."

"I dyed it red," Kasy told him. "I'm Jessica."

Jessica realized what her friends were doing, but couldn't let them be taken in her place. "I'm the real Jessica."

"No she's not," Briana insisted. "I am."

"No! Me!" Kasy and Sheki shouted together.

"Please," he begged. "I don't want to hurt her. I just want… Look, I'll let the others go. Who is Jessica?"

"I am." "Me." "I'm Jessica." "No, I am."

His head hurt worse than ever. He started the car again and headed home. He'd have to sort out who was who later.

Shego and Alicia heard a siren outside the Crandall home and a minute later the DA came running into the house. The police had given him a ride. He immediately went to his wife and held her. With her husband there to lean on she burst into tears.

Kim called; she was on her way and wanted updates on any events. She didn't take the news that there was nothing to report well. Shego assured her that she would call the redhead as soon as they knew anything, but Kim continued to call every three minutes on her way back to Middleton from Global Justice.

At the Mankey house a frantic Josh arrived home to try and calm his more frantic wife.

Yet another frantic individual shouted, "Tie her, tie her tight," at Kasy after tossing her a piece of rope and pointing at Sheki. Why wouldn't the girls admit who was Jessica? He would have let the others go… The woman had called the police. Had he told her not to call the police? He couldn't remember. He knew he should have. Maybe there would be pictures of the girls on the television. Then he could learn which one of the girls was Jessica. He would leave the girls tied up in the bedroom while he watched television.

"Tighter," he shrieked when he caught Kasy leaving the bonds loose on Sheki.

Startled, the red-haired girl pulled the rope on her sister so tight that Sheki winced in pain.

After tying Sheki the man ordered Kasy to tie up the other two girls as well. He then tied Kasy and left the girls in different corners of the bedroom, each tied to a different piece of furniture so they couldn't untie each other, before going to turn on the television set.

"Three vehicles that are complete match for the information your son gave us," the policeman told the Crandalls. "It'll take longer to get a list of all vehicles matching the make and model. Do any of the names on these registrations mean anything to you?"

Shego joined with the Crandalls in looking at the list. None of the names on the registrations meant anything. She gave Kim a call, and wondered whether an enemy could have stolen a car to commit the crime.

At the Mankey home Josh frowned, "David West? There was a David West I fired about three weeks ago. He was scaring away clients. That's the car he drove."

The officer with the Mankeys put in a call to alert officers of the information. "Should I tell the parents we may have a possible suspect?" the officer at the Crandall home asked.

"Hell no," came the official word from Captain Hobble at headquarters. "Shego is a loose cannon and I don't want her screwing up a police investigation."

"But you always said she-"

"She's got skills that might come in handy. But she's not police and this is police work. Clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

"You don't tell them anything until we know something for sure. We've got four little girls to think of."

"Yes, sir!"

"Leave two men there, rest of you come in. We need to check out this guy's address. Do I need to say that if anyone sounds a siren within half a mile of the place I'll take a club to the skull of whatever idiot turned it on?"

"No, sir!"

He stared at the television. Why didn't they show pictures of the girls? Apparently the red-head and the girl with the dark hair were sisters, daughters of Kim Possible. He wondered why the Possible name sounded familiar. He vaguely remembered there used to be stories about her on television and in the papers. One of the blondes was the daughter of the District Attorney. Maybe this was the wrong way to get his job back. No, he had to force Josh to give him his job back. He hadn't wanted to hurt anyone. He hadn't hurt anyone. He would have turned the other girls loose if they'd just told him who they were. They couldn't arrest him because he hadn't wanted to harm anyone. The only criminal was Josh for firing him. He called the office to talk to Josh. Josh wasn't there. They didn't know when he'd be back in the office and asked if he had heard the news that Josh's daughter had been kidnapped. He lied and said he had not.

The police found the car parked behind the house, the engine still warm. They declared it probable cause, but knew they faced an armed kidnapper and four hostages. They began to quietly move men into position around the house and wondered how to proceed. They might send a couple officers with Watchtower tracts or dressed as Mormon missionaries to the door, or just some holy rollers from a church in the neighborhood. Officers began to quietly ask nearby residents to leave their houses in case gunfire happened in a worst-case scenario.

Hobble discussed strategy with two lieutenants as they waited for the neighborhood to be evacuated and two officers to return in disguise. His walkie-talkie crackled into life and he barked, "What is it?"

"Got a nine-one-one from a girl claiming to be Kasy Possible," the dispatcher told him. "Says she's safe and-"

"Does she have an address?"

"No, she sounds hysterical and-"

"She's on the line?"

"Yes, I-"

"Tell her to open the door. We're right outside where we think she is."

The officers tensed. The door did not open as quickly as they expected and they began to worry they had the wrong house when Sheki opened the door. Guns drawn four officers rushed the house and the young girl quickly backed out of their way.

Sheki called Shego's cell to say they were safe. She could not tell her the address. While Shego was trying to calm her daughter down to get a coherent story a call came through for Steve Crandall that Briana was safe.

"Did they give you an address," the green woman demanded when the DA hung up.

"No, just assured me they were safe."

"Alicia?"

"Yes?"

"Watch Jane. I'm borrowing your husband to see the girls."

Alicia wanted to see Briana herself, but feared the prospect of seeing the man who had threatened her. And someone had to watch Jane and Tommy.

One of the officers at the Crandall home was the rookie Shego had knocked down earlier. He was on his walkie-talkie when the DA and green woman approached him. "Good news, We-"

"We heard. Did you get the address?"

"No, I-"

"Get it," the DA barked, "You're taking us there."

"But-"

Shego stared at him with narrowed eyes, "You aren't going to argue with me, are you?"

He gulped nervously, "No Ma'am."

"Good," she smiled, "squad car, now."

Despite the assurances over the phone that the girls were fine the presence of two ambulances outside the house frightened the parents. Shego hung up on Kim, unwilling to say more until she knew more. Steve Crandall was out of the car before it stopped moving and beat the ex-thief to the front door of the house.

"Stop right there," Hobble barked. "Crime scene. What the hell you doing here?"

Steve Crandall skidded to a stop, blocking the doorway.

"Like that's going to stop me," Shego shouted around the DA.

Hobble shook his head, "It had to be her."

"The girls," Steve demanded. "Where are they?"

"Three in the back bedroom. Medical examiner checking them over. They're fine, just a routine exam."

The DA could see Kasy shivering in one corner of the living room, a police officer's jacket wrapped around her waist. Standing behind the large man Shego could see nothing, but she heard three girls were being checked and had to know what had happened to the fourth girl. She grabbed Steve's shirt and jerked him out of the way, then entered the house.

"Why the jacket?" Shego demanded angrily.

"There was some blood," Hobble explained. "I-"

Green fire blazed around the ex-thief. "Where's the bastard? I'll kill him." She saw a couple officers through a doorway at the back of the room, apparently leading into the kitchen.

She took two steps in the direction where she thought the police were holding the suspect and Hobble slapped her, hard. "Kasy's fine!"

"I-"

"Turn off the flames!"

"But you said there was blood!"

"Your daughter had her thing."

"Her period?"

"Yeah. I gave her my jacket."

With the emotional ride she'd been on that day Shego briefly considered fainting. Hobble caught her. "Thanks," she managed to say.

"No problem. Wouldn't mind throwing you in jail, but no jury would have convicted you. At least I got to slap you. Now get your green ass out of my crime scene."

"I've been feeling really bad for a couple days," a shaky Kasy told her Eemah on the ride back to the Crandall's house.

"We could tell," Shego told her.

"And the cramps were getting worse and worse and I felt like… I felt bad like I've never felt before. And something was happening there and… and… And my hands were on fire the way your hands get on fire and-"

"What!" Shego interrupted.

"My hands were on fire. And it burned the ropes. The green fire didn't burn me, but when the ropes burned it kinda hurt. And I got the ropes off and I wanted to get them off Sheki, but I didn't want to burn her. Then I heard the guy coming back and I got over behind the door."

Shego hugged her daughter tightly. "Kid, this will be the scariest day of your life, I promise." She looked over at the DA, "Alicia keep any emergency chocolate?" He nodded. "Call and say we need it."

Alicia and Shego introduced Kasy to the wonderful world of pads before the lawyer headed home with her daughters.

Before leaving the DA Shego called Kim, "We're going out tonight to celebrate."

"The girls being safe?"

"Part of it. Also got to mark the day Kasy became a woman."

"You mean…"

"Yep."

"She's too young! But that explains her mood issues."

"You tell her she's too young." Shego hesitated a moment. "Kim, you know how the comet radiation had like a mutagen effect on me?"

"Yes."

"Well, let's just say there are some interesting side-effects when the girls hit puberty."

-The End-


End file.
